Railroad-switch.



A. D. COALSON.

RAILROAD SWITCH- APPLICATION FILED APR.21, 1915.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

Inventor Attorneys It: I.

Witnesses TENT oniuon.

V l nemen. COALSON, or BIRMINGHAM, AL BAMA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIE D. CoALsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway switches, one of its objects being to provide a switch so constructed as to avoid the necessity of forming a break in the main line rails, it being possible to direct a car onto or from the main rails from or to a siding by shifting the switch tongues to position where they will lap the heads of the main line rails.

WVith the foregoing and other objects] in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway switch embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line AB Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the free end portion of the tongue of the frog. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line OD Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on line E-F Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an inverted perspective view of the lap tongue of the switch.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 and 2 designate the main line rails while 3 and 4 designate the siding rails, the siding rail 3 having a section interposed between the main line rails 1 and 2, as ordinarily. A tongue 5 is pivotally connected to the rail section 3 close to the rail 1 and is adapted to work toward or from said rail 1. That end of the siding rail 4 near the outer side of the main line rail 2 has a tongue 6 pivotally connected to it, said tongue being inclined away from the rail 4 so as to move to position upon the main line rail 2, the top of the tongue being inclined downwardly toward its free end so that a car wheel can travel readily Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

Application filed April 27, 1915. Serial No. 24,276.

from rail onto the tongue 6. Tongue (3 is provided, along its outer side, with a longitudinal flange 7 and this flange is slidably mounted on a supporting plate 8 extending laterally from the main line rail 2. Consequently, when tongue 6 is swung toward the rail 2, it will be guided to position thereabove with its inclined free end so located that a car wheel approaching it from the rail 2 will travel onto said end of the tongue. A rod 9 connects tongue 6 to tongue 5 and the parts are so positioned that when tongue 6 is brought to active position as described, tongue 5 will be brought against the inner side of the main line rail 1. Thus it will be seen that a car approaching the switch from the main line will be free to travel onto the tongues 5 and 6 and will be directed onto the siding rails, the Wheels passing over the rail 2 without coming into contact therewith.

In order that the wheels traveling along the siding rail 3 may pass over rail 2 without engaging it, said siding rail is inclined upwardly toward the rail 2 and the head of rail 3 is removed at opposite sides of rail 2. A tongue 10 is pivotally connected to the rail 3 as shown at 11 and its free end is forked as at 12 so as to straddle the V-shaped end 13 of the head of that portion of rail 3 located between the rails 1 and 2. Thus it will be seen that when tongue 10 is in position across the rail 2 with its forked end straddling the V- shaped end 13, lateral displacement of the tongue 10 is prevented and car wheels are free to pass along rail 3 and tongue 10 without coming into contact with the rail 2. It is necessary to lift the tongue 10 and then lower it so as to straddle the V-shaped end 13, but after it has once been positioned in this manner it will not be possible to displace it without again lifting it and then shifting it laterally.

It is to be understood that any suitable mechanism, not shown, may be provided for actuating the tongues separately or together. The tongue 6 has a depending car 14 adjustably connected to it and to which the rod 9 is attached. I

What is claimed is A railway switch including main line rails, a siding rail having a section thereof interposed between the main line rails and extending laterally beyond one of the main line rails, that portion of the head of the siding rail at opposite sides of the top main line rail being cut away, said siding rail being inclined upwardly toward said main line rail, a tongue pivotally connected to the siding rail and shiftable to position across the top of the main line rail, said tongue having a forked free end, one end of the head of the siding rail being angular vfor engagement with the forked end of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for tongue to hold said tongue against lateral displacement.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as I my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

